English Medieval Silver Vesica-Shaped Seal Matrix for John Baring
Circa 14th-15th century A.D. or later. A silver vesica seal matrix with pierced lug to the reverse; central incuse fleur-de-lys motif; outer band with incuse legend + SIGIL IOhIS : bARING: (seal of John Baring); collector number '109' to reverse. Cf. Linenthal, Richard and Noel, William, Medieval Seal Matrices in the Schoyen Collection, 2004, nos.335 and 340, for similar styles. 18.4 grams, 35 mm (1 3/8 in.). The Matrix Collection, formed by David Morris since the late 1980s.Matrix Collection catalogue no.0109.Many of the seals within the collection were published in a book titled 'The Matrix Collection', by David Morris in 2012.Accompanied by a copy of the illustrated collection notes. The 'A' of Baring is formed with a chevron bar (as is seen on some English coins of the medieval period); the 'N' is retrograde and the 'G' of Lombardic form; a member of the Baring family was Prior of Winchester Abbey (1364-1384 AD) and vesica-shaped matrices are often associated with clerics.